The present invention relates in general to smart cards, and, more particularly, to smart cards in which the internal semiconductor devices may be removed or replaced by an authorized party.
Smart cards have been developed for a wide variety of uses. Smart cards typically include an integrated circuit with a memory element (ROM or RAM) and a control unit, such as a microprocessor or microcomputer. The structure of the integrated circuit is such that it is embedded in a portion of a plastic card having dimensions and physical characteristics of standard credit cards in widespread use. The embedded integrated circuit may include a plurality of terminals on an exterior surface of the card to permit the internal and external transfer of signals to and from the card. Such a smart card is commonly known as a contact smart card. The transfer of signals is accomplished by inserting the card into a compatible reader which provides electrical contacts to interconnect the integrated circuit in the card to a card information processing unit associated with the reader. The reader typically provides power for operating the card, and data is transferred to and from the card whenever it is inserted into the reader. Conversely, a contactless smart card includes an internal power supply and an antenna such that data may be transferred without having to make direct electrical contact the reader.
Since the memories in a smart card can be encoded to identify the card uniquely for a particular application, such a card may be utilized in a number of different application areas. When the sophisticated security features of such cards are employed, the cards may be used as access keys for computer systems, data bases, data networks, or for physical access control to hotel rooms, factories, offices, and the like. Smart cards are increasingly used to access automated bank terminals and permit transaction information to be updated each time a transaction is made so that the card uniquely tracks the authority of the user by information which is written into the memory of the integrated circuit embedded in the card.
Smart cards may also be utilized as small portable files, or records for different types of information, such as personal telephone directories, detailed medical profiles, insurance information, and the like. Smart cards are also useful for point-of-sale credit or debit operations, either in on-line or off-line systems, such as point-of-sale terminals in grocery stores, public telephones and the like.
Smart cards are typically more expensive than regular credit cards because of the integrated circuits embedded in the cards. The plastic material making up the body of a smart card tends to crack and wear out. Additionally, the information printed on the cards may become obsolete. In either situation, it becomes necessary to replace the card. As the integrated circuit is typically embedded in the card, the expensive integrated circuit has been discarded along with the worn-out or obsolete body. It is thus desirable to provide a smart card in which the expensive integrated circuit may be removed from the card body when the body is worn-out or obsolete.
For example, one such smart card having a removable integrated circuit is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,796. The smart card includes an integrated circuit which may be inserted or removed by simply rotating the integrated circuit into and out of the card. While the integrated circuit may be easily replaced or transferred to another card, there is no provision to prevent unauthorized access to the integrated circuit. Such unauthorized access may lead to tampering, theft, fraud or misuse.
Accordingly, there is a need for a smart card having an integrated circuit which may be removed or replaced by authorized personnel only. There is also a need for a smart card which provides an indication of tampering with the integrated circuit. Preferably, removal of the integrated circuit would be easy to implement while manufacture of such as smart card would be relatively inexpensive.
The present invention meets this need by providing a card having an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is mounted on a semiconductor chip assembly which is locked within the smart card. The semiconductor chip assembly is configured so that once it is locked in place, it may only be removed with a special tool. The special tool allows the locking mechanisms holding the semiconductor chip assembly within the smart card to be disengaged. Attempts to remove the semiconductor chip assembly without the special tool may result in damage to one or both of the semiconductor chip assembly and the smart card. The semiconductor chip assembly may be mounted through the side of the smart card or through one of the faces. A security label may be applied to the smart card and the semiconductor chip assembly to provide an indication of tampering with the semiconductor chip assembly.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a card comprises a card body and a semiconductor chip assembly. The card body includes a cut-out portion, a groove generally adjacent to a portion of the cut-out portion terminating in at least a first locking area and a first inlet notch extending through a top face to the groove. The semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor device positioned thereon and a first engagement member corresponding to the first inlet notch. The semiconductor chip assembly is positioned within the cut-out portion of the card body with the first engagement member aligned with the first inlet notch. The semiconductor chip assembly is rotatable such that the first engagement member rotates within the groove and locks in place in the first locking area.
The first engagement member may comprise a first end portion of the semiconductor chip assembly or a first tab extending from the semiconductor chip assembly. The card body may comprise a second inlet notch and the semiconductor chip assembly may comprise a second engagement member corresponding to the second inlet notch. Preferably, the first and second inlet notches are positioned to only accept semiconductor chip assemblies having correspondingly positioned first and second engagement members. The first and second inlet notches may be shaped to only accept semiconductor chip assemblies having correspondingly shaped first and second engagement members. Preferably, the groove terminates in a second locking area such that the first engagement member locks in place in the first locking area and the second engagement member locks in place in the second locking area.
The groove preferably includes a first sloped portion forming a first shoulder in the first locking area. The groove may also be generally planar or comprised of a stepped structure. Preferably, the card body comprises a first laminate having the cut-out portion and the first inlet notch formed therethrough. The card body may further comprise a second laminate having the cut-out portion and a first area formed therethrough with the first area overlapping the first inlet notch and forming a portion of the groove. The card body may further comprise a third laminate having the cut-out portion and a second area formed therethrough with the second area overlapping a portion of the first area and forming another portion of the groove. The card body may further comprise a fourth laminate covering the third laminate and the cut-out portion. The first locking area may be formed in the second area of the third laminate or in the second laminate offset from the first area.
The card may further comprise a security label placed over a portion of the card body and a portion of the semiconductor chip assembly thereby providing an indication of tampering with the semiconductor chip assembly. Preferably, the security label extends across the top face and a bottom face of the card body. The security label may comprise a frangible layer or a holographic layer.
The card body has a thickness ranging from approximately 7 mils to approximately 60 mils. A top surface of the semiconductor chip assembly may be substantially coplanar with, recessed below or extended above a plane defined by the top face of the card body. The card body may include a laminate formed on a back face of the card body covering the cut-out portion.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a card comprises a card body and a generally circular semiconductor chip assembly. The card includes a generally circular cut-out portion corresponding to the generally circular semiconductor chip assembly, a groove extending radially in an arc about the cut-out portion terminating in a first locking area and a second locking area, a first inlet notch and a second inlet notch positioned generally adjacent the cut-out portion and extending through a top face to the groove. The semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor device positioned thereon, a first engagement member corresponding to the first inlet notch and a second engagement member corresponding to the second inlet notch. The semiconductor chip assembly is positioned within the cut-out portion of the card body with the first engagement member aligned with the first inlet notch and the second alignment member aligned with the second inlet notch. The semiconductor chip assembly is rotatable such that the first and second engagement members rotate within the groove and lock in place in the first and second locking areas, respectively.
Preferably, the first inlet notch is positioned at a first angular location and the second inlet notch is positioned at a second angular location such that the card body only accepts semiconductor chip assemblies having correspondingly positioned first and second engagement members. The groove may include a first sloped portion forming a first shoulder in the first locking area and a second sloped portion forming a second shoulder in the second locking area. The groove may also be generally planar or comprised of a stepped structure. The card may further comprise a security label placed over a portion of the card body and a portion of the semiconductor chip assembly to provide an indication of tampering with the semiconductor chip assembly. The security label may comprise a frangible layer or a holographic layer. The security label preferably extends across the top face and a bottom face of the card body.
The card body may comprise a first laminate having the cut-out portion, the first inlet notch and the second inlet notch formed therethrough, a second laminate having the cut-out portion and a first area formed therethrough with the first area overlapping the first inlet notch and the second inlet notch and forming a portion of the groove, a third laminate having the cut-out portion and a second area formed therethrough with the second area overlapping a portion of the first area and forming another portion of the groove, and a fourth laminate covering the third laminate and the cut-out portion. The first and second locking areas may be formed in part of the second area of the third laminate or in the second laminate offset from the first area.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a card comprises a card body having a cut-out portion extending through a side thereof and a semiconductor chip assembly having a semiconductor device positioned thereon. The semiconductor chip assembly is positioned within the cut-out portion through the side of the card body.
The card the semiconductor chip assembly may comprise first and second projections extending along opposing sides thereof engaging corresponding first and second grooves formed on opposing sides of the cut-out portion of the card body. Alternatively, the card body may include first and second projections formed on opposing sides of the cut-out portion engaging corresponding first and second grooves extending along opposing sides of the semiconductor chip assembly. Preferably, the card body includes a first locking member within the cut-out portion while the semiconductor chip assembly includes a corresponding second locking member such that the semiconductor chip assembly is locked within the cut-out portion of the card body as the first locking member engages the second locking member.
The card may further comprise a security label placed over a portion of the card body and a portion of the semiconductor chip assembly to provide an indication of tampering with the semiconductor chip assembly. The security label may comprise a frangible layer or a holographic layer. Preferably, the security label extends across a top face and a bottom face of the card body or across the side of the card body. A top surface of the semiconductor chip assembly may be substantially coplanar with a top face of the card body. The card body may include a laminate formed on a back face thereof covering the cut-out portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method of forming a card comprises providing a card body. A cut-out portion and a groove are formed in the card body. The groove is positioned generally adjacent a portion of the cut-out portion terminating in a first locking area. A first inlet notch is formed in the card body extending through a top face thereof to the groove. A semiconductor chip assembly is provided having a semiconductor device formed thereon. The semiconductor chip assembly includes a first engagement member corresponding to the first inlet notch. The semiconductor chip assembly is positioned within the cut-out portion of the card body with the first engagement member aligned with the first inlet notch. The semiconductor chip assembly is rotated so that the first engagement member rotates within the groove and locks in place in the first locking area.
The steps of forming a cut-out portion, forming a groove and forming a first inlet notch in the card body may be performed by injection molding or milling of the card body. The step of forming a groove in the card body generally adjacent a portion of the cut-out portion terminating in a first locking area may comprise the step of forming a first sloped portion within the groove thereby forming a first shoulder in the first locking area. The method may further comprise the step of applying a security label over a portion of the card body and a portion of the semiconductor chip assembly to provide an indication of tampering with the semiconductor chip assembly. The security label preferably extends across the top face and a bottom face of the card body.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of forming a card comprises providing a card body having a first laminate, a second laminate, a third laminate and a fourth laminate. A cut-out portion is formed through the first, second and third laminates. A first inlet notch is formed through said first laminate. A first area is formed in the second laminate such that a portion of the first area overlaps the first inlet notch. A second area is formed in the third laminate such that a portion of the second area overlaps the first area. The first and second areas form a groove in the card body. The first, second, third and fourth laminates are laminated together. A semiconductor chip assembly is provided having a semiconductor device formed thereon. The semiconductor chip assembly includes a first engagement member corresponding to the first inlet notch. The semiconductor chip assembly is positioned within the cut-out portion of the first laminate with the first engagement member aligned with the first inlet notch. The semiconductor chip assembly is rotated such that the first engagement member rotates within the groove and locks in place in a first locking area.
The method may further comprise the step of forming the first locking area in the second laminate. Alternatively, the first locking area may comprise a portion of the second area. The step of rotating the semiconductor chip assembly such that the first engagement member rotates within the groove and locks in place in a first locking area may comprise the steps of rotating the semiconductor chip assembly until the first engagement member contacts an end of the first area and then applying pressure to the semiconductor chip assembly and rotating the semiconductor chip assembly until the first engagement member contacts an end of the second area.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, a method of forming a card comprises providing a card body. A cut-out portion is formed in the card body extending through a side thereof. A semiconductor chip assembly is provided having a semiconductor device formed thereon. The semiconductor chip assembly includes a first engagement member corresponding to the first inlet notch. The semiconductor chip assembly is slid into the cut-out portion through the side of the card body.
The step of providing a semiconductor chip assembly may comprise the step of forming first and second projections extending along opposing sides of the semiconductor chip assembly and the step of forming a cut-out portion in the card body extending through a side thereof may comprise the step of forming corresponding first and second grooves on opposing sides of the cut-out portion with the first and second projections of the semiconductor chip assembly engaging the corresponding first and second grooves. Alternatively, the step of forming a cut-out portion in the card body extending through a side thereof may comprise the step of forming first and second projections extending along opposing sides of the cut-out portion and the step of providing a semiconductor chip assembly may comprise the step of forming corresponding first and second grooves on opposing sides of the semiconductor chip assembly with the first and second projections of the card body engaging the corresponding first and second grooves.
The step of forming a cut-out portion in the card body extending through a side thereof may comprise the step of forming a first locking member within the cut-out portion and the step of providing a semiconductor chip assembly may comprise the step of forming a corresponding second locking member such that the semiconductor chip assembly is locked within the cut-out portion of the card body as the first locking member engages the second locking member. The method may further comprise the step of applying a security label over a portion of the card body and a portion of the semiconductor chip assembly to provide an indication of tampering with the semiconductor chip assembly. The security label may extend across the top face and a bottom face of the card body or across the side of the card body. The step of forming a cut-out portion in the card body extending through a side thereof may be performed by injection molding, milling or punching out of the card body.